Valve cap lock



Au 25, 1942. J. DE STEFANO VALVE CAP LOCK Fild March 10, 1942 Inventor .lj/zn .De 55%n0 Patented Aug. 25, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT I OFFICE VALVE CAP LOCK- John De Stefano, Jackson Heights, N. Y.

Application March 10, 1942, Serial No. 434,140

2 Claims.

My invention relates to improvements in valve cap locks for the caps of pneumatic tire valves.

The invention is designed with the principal object in view of providing a simply constructed, practical, easily applied device for locking such valve caps on so that said caps will not become lost either by working loose or for other reasons, and so that slow leakage through the valve stem, such as occurs when the caps are lost, may be obviated, dust prevented from accumulating in the stems, and easy stealing of such caps frustrated.

Other and subordinate objects are also comprehended by my invention, all of which, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are read with reference to the drawing accompanying and forming part of this specification.

In said drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation illustrating the preferred embodiment of my invention applied,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary view partly in side elevation and partly in vertical section and drawn to an enlarged scale, and

Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2 illustrating a modified form of the invention.

Referring to the drawing by numerals, and first to Figures 1 and 2, in the preferred embodiment of my invention, the usual valve stem l is encased in an outwardly tapering, frustoconical, sheath 2 of rubber which may, or may not, as desired, be formed on the tube 3 and which surrounds the valve stem I to the threaded outer end of the latter. A metal sleeve section 4, preferably of brass, is provided for looking on the outer end of the sheath 2 by the valve cap 5 and which is adapted to that purpose by providing the same with an axial bore having a flared inner end 6 designed to fit over the outer end of the sheath 2, and a straight inner end I designed to fit around the skirt, or smaller end, of the valve cap 5 so that as said valve cap 5 is turned home the enlarged head of the cap will bear against the outer end of said section 4 and hold the section wedged onto the sleeve 2. The outer end of the section 4 is reduced, as at 8, to provide a circumferential external shoulder 9 around said end, and said end 8 is externally threaded. A complemental outer cylindrical section III, also preferably of brass, and having an internally threaded inner end and a closed outer end, is provided for turning onto the end 8 of said section 4 against the shoulder 9. The section I0 contains a coil compression spring it having one end suitably fixed to the closed end of the section and its other end adapted to bear against and frictionally grip the head of the valve cap 5 so that said spring forms with said valve cap a friction lock preventing the section I0 from working loose. As will be understood, the spring I l is designed to be compressed against the valve cap 5 when the section In is turned home onto the section 4.

By unscrewing the section ID, the valve cap 5.

may be removed, as desired, the section 4 remaining on the sheath 2 by frictional engagement therewith. The section I0 may be provided with a knurled outer end portion l5 for gripping by a tool so that said section H] may be turned tight to prevent its removal without a tool. Thus, the device functions to prevent theft under certain conditions, for instance, as when an automobile is left on the street, and for the reason that tools are not readily available for removing the section In to those frequently resorting to theft of valve caps on the streets.

In the modified form of the invention shown in Figure 3, a metal sleeve section I2 is provided for fitting over the sheath I3 and which embodies a flared, longitudinally split, inner end 14 for wedging onto the outer end of the sheath I3, an intermediate straight portion [5 for fitting around the skirt of the valve cap l6, and an enlarged socket forming outer end I! for containing the head of the valve cap IS. The socket forming outer end I! is internally threaded for turning therein of a complemental spring containing section 18 similar to section II]. The described structural features of the section I2 provides for the use of a light gauge metal in making the same and for more firmly gripping the sheath l 3, as will be clear.

The modified form of the invention is used in the same manner as the form previously described.

A feature of my invention to be particularly noted is that the section 4, or [2, as the case may be, may be turned on the sheath under turning of the section II], or I 8, so that the latter section cannot ordinarily be removed if turned on tight. The tension exerted by the spring maintains the parts in a condition such that this is normally the case. However, by inward pressure against the section In, or [8, the section 4, or [2, may be wedged on the sheath with a sufficient gripping action to cause the same to be held against rotation under turning of the section ID, or [8, in the proper direction for removal.

The feature just described will frustrate attempts to steal the valve cap by those not cognizant of the operations required in removing the section 4, or 12. The screw threads may be either right or left hand, but are preferably left hand to further frustrate removal of the section [0, or 18.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Although my invention has been described herein in detail and in specific terms, it is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative rather than restrictive, and that right is herein reserved to modifications falling within the scope of the subjoined claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described for use on the valve stem of a pneumatic tire tube to hold the valve cap thereon comprising a sleeve section fitting around the stem for retention thereon by said cap, a cylindrical section threaded onto said sleeve over said cap and having a closed outer end, and a coil spring in said section fixed at one end to the closed end of the section, said spring being compressed against said cap to frictionally interlock therewith.

2. A device of the class described for use on the valve stem of a pneumatic tire tube to hold the valve cap thereon comprising a sleeve section fitting around the stem for retention thereon by said cap, a cylindrical section threaded onto said sleeve over said cap and having a closed outer end, and a coil spring in said section fixed at one end to the closed end of the section, said spring being compressed against said cap to frictionally interlock therewith, and a tapered sheath of resilient material surrounding said stem and anchored to the tube, the sleeve having a flared bore fitting over said sheath.

' JOHN DE STEFANO. 

